Railroad-frog.



Fl' Vi W No. 820,406. PATENTED MAY 15, 1906.

J. G. FLUGAN, Sn. RAILROAD FROG.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 9, 1905 2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

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WITNESSES.-

i A TTORNEYS ANDREW. a. mumu co. PHWOLIHOGRAPHLRS. WASHNGTON n c No. 820,406. PATENTED MAY 15,- 1906. 4 J. G. PLUGAN, s3. RAILROAD FROG.

APPLICATION FILED DEC- 9. 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

I1 I By I I 7 I A TTORNE Y5 ANDREW, a. mum: 00., Mom-uni nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn c PATENT orincn.

JAMES G. FLUGAN, SR, OF LISBON, OHIO.

RAILROAD-FROG.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 15, 1906.

Application filed December 9. 1905. Serial No. 291,127.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES G. FLUGAN, Sr., a citizen of the United States, residing at Lisbon, in the county of Columbiana and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Railroad-Frog, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the switches and frogs of railways, and has for its object to improve the construction and increase the efliciency and safety of devices of this character.

With these and other objects in view, which will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction, as hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which corresponding parts are denoted by like designating characters, is illustrated the preferred form of the embodiment of the invention capable of carrying the same into practical operation.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan View of the improved apparatus. Fig. 2 is a detail side view of the switch-stand. Fig. 8 is a detail side elevation of the stand for the frogoperating crank-arm and levers. Fig. 4 is an enlarged plan view, and Fig. 5 is an enlarged side elevation, of the frog and its supportingframe. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the base-plate detached. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the frog-rail detached.

In the operation of railways the ordinary frogs disposed at the points where the switchrails cross the main rail are objectionable, because of the gap formed between the points of the frog and the main-line rail, and cause many wrecks.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a simply-constructed apparatus whereby the main-line rails and the switch-rails are rendered continuous while the trains are passing, the movements being accomplished by one operation.

The improved device consists in general of switch-rails of the ordinary construction and a movable frog, and means whereby the frog is operated simultaneously with the switchrails and by the same mechanism.

The device may be employed in connection with any of the ordinary forms of switchrails, either of the split or stub switch, as preferred, but for the purpose of illustration is shown applied to an ordinary split switch, the main-line rails being represented at 10 1 1,

the side-track rails at 12 13, and the switchrails at 14 15. A switch-stand is arranged at 16 upon the ties 17 near the point ends of the switch-rails and may be of any of the ordinary constructions.

For the purpose of illustration an approved form of such devices is shown having a shaft 18 mounted vertically therein and with an operating-lever 19 intermediately jointed, as at 20, and adapted to be engaged with spaced notches, one of which is shown at 21 in the switch-stand, to hold the switch open or closed, as required. Connected to the lower end of the shaft 18 is a crank-arm 22, to which a rod 23 is connected at one end, with the other end of the rod connected to the coupling-bar 24 of the switch-points. By this means it will be obvious that when the lever 19 is set in one of the notches in the switch-stand the switch-rails will be disposed in open position and the main line left clear, and when set in the other notch the switch will be disposed in closed position to conduct the trains to the side track.

At the point where the side-track rail 12 crosses the mainline rail 11, or where the ordinary frog is disposed, the improved device which is the principal feature of the present invention is located, and consists of a base plate or frame 25, upon the ends of which the rails 11 and 12 are supported, with a gap between their adjacent ends, as shown. The ends of the rails 11 and 12 next to the switch rails 14 and are bent away from each other, as at 26 27, and recessed in the adjacent faces, and the ends of the rails 11 and 12 at the opposite end of the base-plate 25 are reversely inclined, as at 28 29, to form seats or bearings for the rear end of the movable frog rail 30, which is pivoted at 31 to the baseplate and with said rear end inclined to correspond to the seats 28 29. The point 32 of the frog-rail operates between the recesses 26 27 and seats alternately in the recesses, while the rear end of the frog-rail, seats alternately against the inclined faces 28 29 of the rails 11 12. By this arrangement when the rail 30 is set in one position the main-line rail 12 is rendered continuous, and when the rail 30 is set in the opposite position the side-track rail 11 will be rendered continuous, as will be obvious.

Supported upon two of the ties 17 is a supporting-frame 33, in which a hub 34 is mounted to oscillate, the hub having two crankarms 35 36 extending therefrom. Mounted IIO are connected by a rod 44-. By this arrangement when the switch is operated the frog-rail 30 will also be operated and simultaneously therewith and by the same operat ing means.

The ends of the rails 11 12 are supported in position upon the base-plate 25 by guard or clamp plates 45 46, the base-plate having integral stop-blocks 47 48 extending between the rail ends. The central portion of the plate 25, or the portion over which the frog rail operates, is depressed, as represented in Figs. 5 and 6, and the frog-rail is formed of suflicient height to extend from the face of this depressed portion to the upper or tread faces of the rails 11 and 12. The frog-rail is widened at the base, as at 49, to increase the base area and obviate the tendency to overturn under lateral strains. The base-plate 25 is formed with recesses or overhanging portions at 50 51, extending beneath the ends of the rails 11 12, and into which the ends of the base 49 of the frog-rail extend, as shown. By this means the frog-rail is effectually prevented from upward displacement.

The inclined portions 28 29 of the rails 11 12 are so arranged that the inclined portions of the frog-rails closely engage the same alternately when the frog-rail is disposed in its two ositions, so that the rails 11 or 12 are contlnuous when the trains pass over them, no matter in which position they may be set. The frog-rail 25 is provided with a transverse slot 52 near its free end, and the bent ends 26 27 are provided with corresponding apertures, the apertures to receive a guid e-bar 53, connected at the ends at 54 55 to the base 25. The guide-bar thus serves the twofold purpose of an additional support to the rails 11 12 and also as an additional means for preventing upward movement of the free end of the frog-rail. By this simple arrangement it will be noted that a continuous main-line rail isproduced when the switch is set for the main line and a continuous rail likewise produced when the switch is set for the side track, so that no danger exists of the displacement of the cars by the catching of the flanges of the wheels upon the points of the frogs.

The device is strong and durable, can be inexpensively manufactured, and readily applied to any of the various forms of switches in use.

The base-plate 25 will be formed, preferably, with one end portion, including a pair of 6 5 the overhanging portions and one of the longitudinal recesses, in a seperate piece, to provide for the assembling of the parts.

Having thus described the invention, What is claimed is 1. A movable rail-frog, consisting of a railsection swinging from one end between the terminals of two adjacent track-rails to fill the intervening gap and produce a continuous line of rails, said rail-section having a 5 laterally-extending base of greater width than the height of the rail, whereby the tendency to overturn is obviated.

2. In a railway-frog, a base-plate disposed between the terminals of two adjacent trackrails with said terminals bearing thereon and with a transverse intermediate recess and longitudinal recesses communicating with said transverse recess, and a rail-section movably disposed within said transverse recess and extending at the ends into said longitudinal recesses.

3. In a railwayfrog, a base-plate disposed between the terminals of two adjacent trackrails with said terminals bearing thereon and with a transverse intermediate recess overhanging at the ends and with longitudinal recesses extending through the overhanging portions, and a rail section movably disposed in said'recess and extended at the ends into said longitudinal recesses and with a laterally-extending base projecting at the ends beneath said overhanging portions.

4. In a railway-frog, a base-plate disposed between the terminals of two adjacent trackrails with said terminals bearing thereon and with a transverse intermediate recess overlapping at the ends and with longitudinal recesses extending through the overhanging portions, a rail-section movably disposed in said transverse recess and extending at the ends into said longitudinal recesses and with a laterally extending base projecting into said overhanging portions, and a guide-bar connected to said terminals and extending through said rail-section.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JAMES G. FLUGAN, SR. Witnesses:

J. Q. ADAMS. THOMAS E. LoULn. 

